Pantone Chose Two Colors Of The Year To Represent Gender Blur

Pantone announces two colors as the color of the year. (Source Pantone/Twitter)

Every year since 2000 Pantone has chosen one color as the color of this year. The company describes the color of the year as, "a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude."

This year the company that calls itself "the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems," bucked with tradition and chose two colors. Pantone has said that the decision to designate two colors was made to represent the gender blur we are experiencing.

A softer take on color for 2016: For the first time, the blending of two shades – Rose Quartz and Serenity are chosen as the PANTONE Color of the Year

As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace.

The prevalent combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity also challenges traditional perceptions of color association.

In many parts of the world we are experiencing a gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted color trends throughout all other areas of design. This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumer's increased comfort with using color as a form of expression, a generation that has less concern about being typecast or judged and an open exchange of digital information that has opened our eyes to different approaches to color usage.

So you're shopping for earrings online but you can't tell what they would look like on you. Are they too big? Do they hang to low? Does the color go with your skin? Do they dangle? There's an app for that, and in fact it's called Dangle AR.

So you're shopping for earrings online but you can't tell what they would look like on you. Are they too big? Do they hang to low? Does the color go with your skin? Do they dangle? There's an app for that, and in fact it's called Dangle AR.